MORE and more British women are becoming nuns, figures show.

They are shunning many of the trappings of modern life to take vows of chastity, poverty and obedience.

Last year, 45 nuns were consecrated - up from seven in 2004 and a 25-year high.

The increase is down in part to a rising number of educated and dynamic women searching for a vocation, rather than a career, according to experts.

Sister Cathy Jones, religious life vocations promoter at the National Office for Vocation, said: “It’s significant that in recent years many religious congregations have grown in confidence in proposing their way of life.

“They have offered taster weekends and participated in youth festivals, enabling potential ‘discerners’ to easily encounter religious and take the first steps to find out more about religious life.

“Another key reason for this increase is the growth of a culture of vocation in the church.

There has been a nine-fold increase in the number of active religious sisters in apostolic orders and a fourfold increase in the number of enclosed sisters in cloistered convents in England and Wales."

Theodora Hawksley, 29, recently joined the Congregation of Jesus in north London.

She said: “Entering religious life was a decision born of love.

It was an acknowledgement that my life has slowly and concretely rearranged itself around the love of God, and around that relationship as the one I prize above all else.”

The General Superior of the Congregation of Jesus, Sister Jane Livesey, said: "It is historically the case that it is religious life that has given women a clear and recognised place in the church and an opportunity to contribute very fully to the church’s mission to be at the service of the people of God – whether ‘churched’ or ‘unchurched’.

“In our case in this country our current ministries include university and seminary teaching, hospital chaplaincy, spiritual accompaniment of all kinds, child psychotherapy and others besides.

“And we are only one group – there are many other congregations making equally significant contributions who are as grateful to God as we are that he continues to call women and men to follow him in the consecrated life.”

This Sunday is Vocations Sunday – a day of prayer for nuns and monks and for those people considering a consecrated life.